Hello I'm new to this forum. After 20 long patient years the time is right for me to get a dog and enjoy all the joy and perils that come with that journey. I have studied many breeds and due to my wife's allergies I went in the direction of Portuguese Water Dogs. After much research I've come to realize that this breed is a perfect fit for us. The next step was to see how my wife would react. So we spent quite a lot of time around dozens of porties. I glad to say it was a success. we have picked out our breeder and met the pups parents. The litter is due in 2 weeks and then another 8 weeks before i will be able to bring home my new best friend. It will be a long 2 1/2 months. In the meanwhile I am preparing as much as I can. Some questions I have, concern the puppy's well being. In particular I am looking for advice for which vet would be best for my Portie, anywhere in the Durham area would be great. Also I will be looking for help on finding a trainer or training classes. I have seen that I have a lot of choice in vets and trainers. I am just hoping someone will be able to guide me a good choice. Any advice will be much appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to read my long post.

That is so funny that you ask about names for our puppy. It is topic number 1
In our household. We constantly are adding and removing names from our list.
The list is full of scratch out and names squeezed in.

You are already SO ahead of the game because you are taking the time to research the best breed for your family in a thorough and intelligent manner. you get 5 high fives just for that.

My best advice on a trainer is that the best ones will be referred to you by people you trust. (friends, vets etc). Never pick a trainer or a vet simply based on location - go with referrals or research. I'm in Montreal and don't know people in your area but maybe somebody on our forum will have a personal recommendation for you .

I like group obedience training versus private as the dog gets additional socialization w/other dogs. Lots of opinions on training though.

That is so funny that you ask about names for our puppy. It is topic number 1
In our household. We constantly are adding and removing names from our list.
The list is full of scratch out and names squeezed in.

I do like the advice of training in a group. I know that porties really enjoy socializing so it will be a big factor in finding a training school. There is a great dog park near me, unfortunately I know that Puppies shouldn't go to the parks until they are older. So any other social options will be important

I will continue on reading the forums with all their great information. I'm sure a lot of the answers I'm looking for are on there.

The breeder has told me that she has a great vet. unfortunately he's an hour away. Although I want to make the best choice for my pet, I'm just not sure an hour drive each way is necessary.

You could see if there is a puppy playground around that you can be with your puppy too. I would go to the playground just to watch it before bringing your puppy then you could decide if it's a safe place for your puppy.

Congratulations on the new addition!
I'm familiar with your off-leash park in Oshawa and you are right to avoid taking your puppy there until he/she is older. I take my weim there and he just loves it (you are so lucky to have that beautiful park). I do not take my papillon as some of the dogs get pretty boisterous and can unintentionally hurt the little ones.
Maybe make a few visits to Harmony Valley and ask around some of the owners advice on their vet experiences would be a good start. I found the park to be great socializing time for both me and my dog
FYI if you are on or near the Whitby/Oshawa border, I would highly recommend Dr. Kathy Kivi @ the Brooklin Vet Hospital on HWY 7 & Thickson.